Field of the Invention
The presently disclosed subject matter relates to an ultrasonic signal processing device and an ultrasonic signal processing method, and specifically relates to an ultrasonic signal processing device and an ultrasonic signal processing method that receive an ultrasonic echo reflected by a subject and record an ultrasonic signal.
Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-164831 (PTL 1) and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-279287 (PTL 2) disclose that echo data 100 (raw data) by which ultrasonic image data is generated is recorded in a recording medium through predetermined processing (paragraphs [0006] and [0020] of PTL 1 and paragraphs [0007] and [0022] of PTL 2). Moreover, they disclose that search information 102A (for example, a patient ID, date and serial number, and so on) and attribute information 102B (for example, information showing transmission/reception conditions such as a transmission/reception mode, frequency, transmission and reception, transmission/reception rate and transmission/reception address; more specifically, an echo data blanking time between frames in a B mode and a blanking time every transmission in an M mode, and so on) are attached (paragraph [0018] of PTL 1 and paragraph [0020] of PTL 2).
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-102730 (PTL 3) discloses that, when a signal subjected to an addition processing by an ultrasonic transmission/reception unit 14 is preserved as RF data (raw data), a resolution is changed between a designated region and other regions (paragraphs [0015] and [0020]).
Takao HIGASHIIZUMI, “Ultrasonic Diagnosis Apparatus: World of Ubiquitous Ultrasonic Waves that is increasingly expanding”, [online], GE Healthcare Japan, [search on May 16, 2012], Internet, <URL: http://japan.gehealthcare.com/cwcjapan/static/rad/us/ubiquitous.html> (NPL 1) discloses a raw data management in which an image is stored as raw data which is data after a signal processing such as a reception focus in a beam former and before an image processing.